The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens – Palm Desert

During our visit to Palm Springs, we were on the hunt for some fun activities for Kolton. A few people had mentioned a nearby zoo to us, called The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, so of course we had to check it out. To our surprise, this was much more than a zoo. It was a zoo, a children’s museum, and a park all surrounded by the beautiful and scenic desert . We found out that children under three years of age get in free, and as AAA Members, we even got a discount on our tickets! We were already impressed.

Kolton with his AAA card

First stop, we were able to go into a large cage full of birds, and let them eat out of our hands! They were landing on us and flying all around our heads. I thought this was really neat, but Kolton was pretty freaked out, so we didn’t stay for very long. I guess hundreds of birds flying in front of you and landing on your head can be a little terrifying after all. In a couple of years, I think he may appreciate this a little more.

We were then able to walk down a dessert path and see some really amazing animals! Due to the climate, we were able to see animals from all over the world.

Jaguar

Warthogs

Giraffe

There was even a live giraffe feeding! We were so close to these magnificent creatures that we could feel their breathe. We did not actually feed them, since Kolton is still so young, but next time, we will.

Kolton has such a blast at the playground and the children’s museum. Both were created for his age group, and he was able to safely explore.

Going down the sahuaro slide

Panning for gold

Learning how to make a fan move by blowing

If Kolton hadn’t been so worn out towards the end of our visit, we would have spent much more time at the huge G-scale model train display. He is a big fan of trains, and this exhibit was really awesome! It was like a miniature old western city with life-like homes, bridges, businesses, lakes, and people.

This zoo is definitely one that we recommend to anyone visiting the area. We will be back hopefully next year and get to ride the camels, and feed the giraffes!